Category: Business

Got into a car accident in Georgia - what to do?

Nowadays, every driver in one way or another risks being involved in an emergency situation. The next question logically follows from this: if you get into an accident, what should you do ?

The first important requirement in an accident is to stop. Whatever the collision, you must stop and turn on your hazard warning lights. If it was a terrible accident and your car is capable of movement, park so as not to interfere with traffic.

Call the police. No matter who is at fault for the accident, you will need a report from the scene.

Motorcycle" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.galperinlegal.com/motorcycle-accidents/">Motorcycle accident lawyer advise to collect information from the scene of the accident and exchange contact information with the other driver. Thus, after you are involved in an accident, you should have:

• the other driver's name, address and telephone number;
• information about the other driver's insurance company;
• contact details of witnesses to the accident;
• license plates of cars, their model and make;
• information about weather and driving conditions.

Take as many photographs as you can from the scene of the collision and write down everything you remember.

Wait for the police to arrive and tell them your story of what happened.

Do not interfere with the officer’s ability to investigate the accident on his own, but at the same time make sure that he draws up a report on the accident and includes the names of all your passengers in the report.

After your collision has been recorded by the police, notify your insurance company that you were involved in a car accident.

Do not sign any agreement with an insurance company until you have consulted with an experienced attorney. Insurers always try to pay you as little as possible, and the agreement signed with them often cannot be revised.

Within 14 days of the accident, see a doctor who specializes in auto accident injuries. You should document your injuries as soon as possible to prevent the insurance company from refusing to pay for your treatment.

Seek legal advice and an experienced attorney can help you figure out all of the costs you may face after an accident in Georgia.

What should expats do?

Many foreigners do not even wonder what emigrants need to do after an accident. They are afraid of being deported, and therefore decide to bear all the costs after the accident themselves. But in reality, law enforcement does not have full authority to look for immigration status in car accident cases.

In order to save their own money, insurance companies may try to deny you compensation. They justify their refusal by the fact that you are not an American citizen and you do not have a social security number. However, such statements are illegal, and an experienced lawyer will help you build a strong defense against the insurance company.

In the United States, every person (and in particular expats) has the right to receive treatment after an accident, which means that doctors must be paid for their work. Thus, the insurance company will have to pay you, at a minimum, compensation for restoring your health. And in addition to this, you can also count on payment for repairs of damaged property and payment of moral damages.

The only thing you may have a problem with is paying for lost wages. This will happen if you are employed in the country unofficially.

Whatever the case may be, it is always recommended to seek the help of an experienced lawyer. He will help you both in explaining all the necessary actions after an accident, and in opposing the insurance company in matters of paying money to emigrants after an accident in Georgia.

What happens if one of the drivers is not insured?

Georgia law requires every driver to have liability insurance, but more and more people are driving uninsured and causing accidents.

If you are involved in an accident without insurance or you were not included in the insurance, the consequences can be very serious. Exactly what happens will depend on several factors, including who was at fault in the accident and how serious the accident was.

First of all, it's worth remembering that you can get into trouble for simply driving without car insurance. You must have at least minimum insurance coverage.

In Georgia, the minimum insurance policy includes personal injury liability of $25,000 per person and $50,000 if there are multiple injuries. Property damage liability of $25,000 is also required.

If you are caught driving without insurance, you may face:

• fines from 200 to 1000 dollars;
• imprisonment up to 12 months;
• suspension of driver's license for 60–90 days or complete revocation.

At the same time, the punishment for driving without insurance depends on the time it was committed.

Keep in mind that these penalties apply even without a car accident. If you were in an accident and did not have insurance, the consequences could be worse.

If you are the uninsured culprit in an accident that results in injuries, then you will be fully responsible for the costs of their treatment, as well as for any other expenses resulting from the accident.

An accident in which another driver was at fault may be compensated to you by that driver's insurance company. However, the amount may be limited since you do not have your own insurance coverage.

An accident with an uninsured driver may also be covered for you by additional insurance. In Georgia, this insurance is not required, but is recommended. This coverage can compensate you after an accident with an uninsured driver.

Consult with an experienced attorney to understand what to do and what to expect if one of the drivers did not have insurance at the time of the accident in Georgia.

Got into an accident while drunk

While Georgia law already provides severe penalties for driving while intoxicated, anyone found guilty of driving while intoxicated faces additional criminal charges as well as the possibility of a civil lawsuit.

A drunk driving accident in which someone is injured or killed will result in more severe penalties for you than an accident without such consequences. Such a crime is considered grave and entails the following preventive measures:

• Fines Higher;
• Long prison sentences:
• Vehicular Homicide – Sentences can range from 3 to 15 years in prison for each charge;
• Serious Injury by Vehicle – Sentences can range from 1 to 15 years in prison for each charge.
• Miscarriage due to accident - sentences can range from 3 to 15 years in prison;
• Increase in bail amount;
• Multi-year driver's license suspension.

Additionally, the cost of auto insurance increases dramatically if a person's actions result in a drunk driving accident in Georgia.

Anyone who causes an accident in Georgia due to alcohol will likely face civil charges in addition to criminal charges. Civil lawsuits are brought by individuals who directly suffered damage or injury as a result of an accident, or by the families of people killed in an accident.

One way or another, you will need competent legal assistance to resolve all disputes arising as a result of an accident in Georgia as safely as possible.

What payments are due in case of an accident in Georgia?

Many drivers do not fully understand what they can claim compensation for. Read below to find out what payments you may be entitled to in case of an accident and how to receive them.

In fact, damages in Georgia can cover almost all of your costs. This is because state law does not provide for any maximum amount of compensation.

Payments in the state of Georgia can be in the form of:

• compensation for personal injury if you are involved in an accident with injuries ;
• payment of lost wages;
• payment for repairs of damaged property or its complete replacement;
• payment of moral damages in case of an accident.

Which cities in the state of Georgia are covered by the above compensation: 

McDonough, Dolton, Rome, Dunwoody, Kennesaw, Union City, Douglasville, Lawrenceville, Statesboro, Columbus, Atlanta, Hinesville, Peachtree City, Roswell, Alpharetta, Marietta, Milton, Canton, Macon, Acworth, Augusta, Newnan, Stockbridge, Gainesville, Smyrna, Daluth, Warner Robins, Johns Creek, Valdosta, Albany, Savannah, La Grange, Griffin, Woodstock, East Point, Carrollton, Pooler.

Compensation for health damage in case of an accident and moral payments in case of an accident may overlap to some extent. Therefore, you may be able to claim payment for the psychologist you will need to work with for the rest of your life due to the accident. Accordingly, you will also be able to demand payment for moral damages in the form of acquiring a mental illness. The same applies if you are involved in a car accident with injuries. You can demand payment for the installation of necessary equipment in your home if you become disabled, and claim compensation for the loss of your former quality of life.

In order to fully understand all payments to victims of road accidents, it is recommended to seek legal advice. Each situation is individual and for each person it can turn out differently.

How to get payments after an accident

In order to receive compensation from your insurance company, you will need to disclose this intent and provide evidence of the accident. After reviewing your claim, the insurance company will offer you settlement options.

Don't sign anything the insurance company tells you to do without talking to an attorney first. As previously stated, such actions may result in minimal compensation and the inability to re-litigate your case.

Consult with an attorney to understand all of your options for obtaining maximum compensation for your losses.

Compensation amount

According to Georgia law, there is no cap on compensation for car accident victims in the state. Some estimates place the average settlement for a minor to moderate accident at $20,000 to $30,000. Depending on the circumstances, severe cases can cost much more.

However, it should be understood that Georgia applies a modified comparative fault rule. This means that a percentage of fault will be taken away from your compensation. However, if your percentage of fault is more than 50%, be prepared to receive zero compensation for your Georgia car accident.

Payment deadlines in Georgia

The timing of payments often depends on how soon the driver submits an application demanding compensation. In general, compensation periods range from 3 to 6 months. However, each situation is individual, so some cases may drag on for several years.

Remember also that you must meet the statute of limitations to receive payments. That is, you must apply for compensation within a certain time.

Typically, you have 2 years to file a claim to recover the costs of your injuries and 4 years to file a claim to recover the costs incurred by repairing or replacing damaged property.

An experienced lawyer will definitely be able to help you receive all the required payments and understand how quickly you need to resolve the issue with the consequences of an accident in Georgia.